By Zainab Rauf, Abuja Amnesty International has strongly condemned the Nigerian military over the killing of at least five supporters of t...
By Zainab Rauf, Abuja
Amnesty International has strongly condemned the Nigerian military over the killing of at least five supporters of the Islamic movement in Nigeria during a protest in Abuja on Wednesday.
The demonstration was held to mark the annual international Qods day. According to the rights group, many other protesters sustained life-threatening injuries.
In a statement issued by Amnesty International, the organization accused the Nigerian military of using excessive force and live ammunition against the protesters. “Live ammunitions were fired at the protesters. Consistently, it seems the Nigerian military are always deliberately using tactics designed to kill when dealing with IMN gatherings. Many of these shootings clearly amount to extrajudicial executions,” the statement read.
Eyewitnesses reported that security forces not only opened fire on demonstrators but also subjected some of them to brutal physical assaults. “Some of the protesters were beaten and severely injured using heavy sticks aimed at inflicting maximum injury. They were perfectly within their rights to hold a religious procession and protest, and there was no evidence they posed an imminent threat to life,” Amnesty International stated.
The human rights organization emphasized that the actions of the Nigerian military violate international standards for policing demonstrations. “International law is clear that security forces policing demonstrations must not use firearms against protesters. They must never use firearms to disperse a demonstration. Firearms must never be used as a tactical tool for the management of demonstrations,” the statement continued.
Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to conduct an independent investigation into the killings and ensure accountability within the military command structure. “The Nigerian authorities have an obligation under international law to ensure there is a full and independent investigation of deaths at the hands of security forces and that those responsible, including in the command structure of the security forces, are held accountable under criminal law,” the organization urged.
There has been no immediate response from the Nigerian military or government officials regarding the allegations. However, the incident adds to a series of reported crackdowns on Islamic movement members in recent years, raising concerns about human rights abuses and excessive use of force by security forces in Nigeria.
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